Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-14
Correspondence.

hIUSA, OCtODcI II, 1901
EDITOR HERALD-As there is much
being said about the Azusa and Duarte
water trouble, l desire to make fair
statement of the case. 1t is a we'll
known characteristic of our rivers
that they often sink in whole or in
part and reappear farther down the
channel. This is the case with the
San Gabriel river. During a part Of
the year large volume Of water may
be seen running out of the cafion.
Farther down at the county road it is
perfectly dry and has to be covered
with straw to make it passable for
teams. Still farther down at the
Puente bridge it reappears, forming
quite large stream.
Several years ago the land owners
in the Azusa irrigation district formed
company for the purpose of bringing
the underhow Of the river to the sur
face before it passed out of the
canon. Some proposed at the time a
submerged dam, believing that it was
the best way to bring the under
stream to the surface. Others insisted
that tunnel under the river would
best restore the lower portion of the
stream to the surface. But all agreed
that the work should he done by our
people and that no land owner outside
of the water district should be per-
mitted to take part in the project.
Those who believed in the submerged
dam would have nothing to do with
the tunnel plan. Those who believed
in the tunnel plan commenced opera
tions, but they soon found out that
they could not afford to CONF ete the
work.
1t was at this point that Mr. Phil
lips who controlled a large plain of
dry land outside OF the district ap-
proach the company, whose name
was the .'Azusa Development Com
pany." The result is known. He and
his associates soon obtained controll-
ing interest in the corporation
before the tunnel was COM
pleted. They constructed an
immense canal and connected it with
a great reservoir on his dry farm,
knowing that the people would fight
for their rights when the time come.
The corporation secured the life SER
vice OF G. Willy Wells, by paying him
$4,000. They have raised the capital
stock to $500 900, and propose now to
90 on with the tunnel, drain the river,
take it down their canal and away
from the people to whom it rightfully
and honestly belongs. In proof of
which read the following:
washes away the water ditch at the
mouth of the canyon. 1t is estimated
that it costs, in labor, from $1,000 to
$l5, 900 every year to build their ditch
over again. Now, in order to prevent
this yearly repetition of worse than
useless work the Duarte and Aura
people who have been in peace
able possession OF the water
for a generation have COM
menced tunnel through the hill at the
mouth of the canon to connect with
the river. Now comes the Phillip
corporation, and through misrepre-
sentation has had the court issue an
injunction restraining the people from
finishing this tunel. 1t is plain to be
seen that they intend to IVORY our
people out with law suits, but SO long
as we have families to support, chill
dren to cloth and educate, we will
maintain and defend our rights, and to
this end we pledge our lives, our for.
tune and our sacred honor. We did
not bring on this law suit, but now,
bring in it, we say in the language
of Macbeth, Clay on, MacDuf, and
damn'd be him, that first cry's hold
enough" SAM'L MCCURDY,
Defendant